Sajid Khan says he still stands by the fact that Jeetendra’s Himmatwala remains one of his all-time favorite films. It’s just that the zone of cinema was past its time and his intentions of revisiting his beloved clichés from the 80s got misinterpreted as a spoof. Khan also admits that he had become extremely arrogant during the promotions of Himmatwala, which is why the very people who rooted for Sajid right from his television days went against him - And in a way the film was destined to fail for him.

Having moved on to a calmer state of mind, Sajid Khan is back to doing what he is synonymous with. But he argues that his forthcoming triple-role comedy Humshakals is not as massy as people perceive it to be. And he feels it is his ‘coolest’ film till date as it has something for everybody.

In conversation with the rebooted Sajid Khan for a candid chat on success, failure, lessons and learnings.

The overall vibe of and for Humshakals is quite positive. Do you see it as a redemption of sorts after the disaster of Himmatwala?

It’s not redemption (I am not a serial killer or terrorist) it’s just a realization! And that happens when you look back and wonder how on earth did you even say those things that you said. And realizing that not everybody may get the drift of what you are saying. It’s as if I wanted to say 'Roko, Mat Maaro' but it went into the public domain as 'Roko Mat, Maaro'.

So the whole meaning of what I used to say got changed. But fair enough, I deserved it. I had become successful but with that I had begun demanding respect and was screaming for self-attention.

Why do you say that?

I am a filmmaker by chance. I am very fortunate to have reached my fifth film. I always wanted to make just one film. Success led me to make my consecutive films.

So the trappings that come with success, the money, power, respect are things I had not seen on television. I was successful on TV but there is a grade difference when you are a hit filmmaker. And that success got to me. I was wondering why I wasn’t getting the same respect as my friends...

But the failure of Himmatwala brought me my personal success. I got my funny bone back. I had stopped being funny in the last two years as I was asking for your respect and not your smiles. I had stopped listening to people, and from being a student I had become my own lecturer. Today I am a better listener and will hear you out.

So is Humshakals a return to the tried and tested successful formula? And are you now scared of taking risks?

No no no it’s never about the formula. Which filmmaker would put a baby on the poster with Akshay Kumar in his first film? I don’t consider Heyy Babyy to be a comedy. It was positioned in that way because no one would have come to watch an emotional drama by your host and dost Sajid Khan...

A good film will run, and bad one won’t. Himmatwala was not a good film. I can see it hindsight as I had made it out of arrogance. It was made with the attitude of ‘Main Toh Aankh Band Karke Bhi Chakka Maar Sakta Hoon’.

Once upon a time you had written letters to your cast promising them the biggest hit of their careers. What’s the projection for Humshakals?

I don’t talk about numbers no more as it’s not my job to predict the box office. Also please realize now I am 42, I will turn 43 later this year. So what I did back then was I guess a little childish.

While the going is good people accept a lot of stuff. In my case I realized that more than acceptance it was tolerance. People were just tolerating me because I was delivering hits and the moment the run ended, their frustration snowballed and came back to bite me...

But this also shows that be it for good or for bad, people care about what you do. Now I feel the only thing that should matter in life is to make people happy.

So Humshakals began with three people in double roles, followed by two in triple and one in double and then you decided to go the whole hog. Is it because you wanted to show the world your technical brilliance as a director?

Technique doesn’t make a difference. It’s only storytelling. Nobody remembers how well a shot was taken or the lighting. Of course a film has to look good. Unless you are watching a hardcore action film like The Matrix; when you normally discuss a film you only mention the characterizations, or the dialogues or the overall impact the storytelling had on you...

I always knew that it would be a challenge to show three Saifs, three Riteishs and three Ram Kapoors fighting with each other. I assure you the audience will follow each of their tracks and even a four-year-old child will know who is who. In fact you may feel that in parts I am spoon-feeding you, but I have to do that because this is a new concept.

I am a bit like that air-hostess who makes the ‘please wear your seat-belt' announcement from time to time. So even if you get irritated it’s a job that’s got to be done.

Certain elements and visuals like the midnight song are very similar to the Houseful series…

It’s the same zone. That’s why the poster also mentions Houseful and Houseful 2 and not Heyy Babyy. These are my signature elements. Give the audience a bit of what they expect and a bit of what they don’t. That’s where I messed up in Himmatwala. A lot of scenes that looked fine on paper did not connect as people didn’t expect the 80s 'pallu-faado' lines from me and interpreted it as a spoof. Humshakals is cent-percent original and purely screenplay driven.

Speaking of Houseful, Sajid Nadiadwala and you have been very cordial to each other in the media despite the fall out. So is a patch-up on the cards?

But why would we speak ever lowly of each other? We are not enemies. Sajid Naidadwala has been my best friend for 17 years and like an elder brother to me. And of course friends fight but then they get back together too. We will also get back together and look back and laugh it all off.

It’s just that right now he and I are busy in our own spaces. That is why I did not do Judwaa 2 and Houseful 3. I felt that by gaining a producer I was losing a friend. And he too felt that in gaining a director he was losing a friend. So we decided that let the friends stay together rather than the professionals...

And 'Taali Hamesha Dono Hatahon Se Bajti Hai'. In a film you know who the villain is as you are watching it from the point of view of the hero. But in life, each side believes that their perspective is the right one. So I may have ten things to say about where I felt injustice was done to me, and he would also have ten things about where he felt I did injustice to him. But not a single day goes when we do not think of each other.

Sounds a bit like ZNMD. Maybe you guys need to go to Spain on a road trip…

No we don’t need to go to Spain. We just need to pick up the phone, talk and sit and chat. We have invested 17 years of our lives in each other through both good and bad times, so of course we will get back together and laugh it all off...

See the fact is I wouldn’t be here had it not been for him. Today if you perhaps consider me as one of the bigger directors it is because he made me a director. I was offered tons of money after one hit, the kind I had never seen in my life. But I gave that up and did films with him because I owed it to my friend and our energy made those films work.

I am not sure if we will work together again. But all reports about me being kicked out of Houseful 3 are bulls#$t. Why would anyone kick me out of something I have created? I did not do Judwaa 2 and Houseful 3 for the reasons I told you.

You would be hoping to go into your next project with a smile on your face and a lot of money in the back…

It’s not about the money. After a point of time it is only extra zeros in the bank. I live an easy life. I am not married, I have no kids, I don’t drink or womanise. I don’t party…This is sounding like a matrimonial ad now (laughs) - I think I am the best role model for a husband.

Will you challenge the decision if Houseful 3 is made with another director?

It belongs to the producer; he owns it so why will I challenge it? I have a lot of respect for producers as they risk everything in a film. As a director I can do the running around, planning and design a project almost like a producer - But then I hand it all over to a producer. I have seen my father get ruined as a film producer so if I ever try to get into production I think I will have a heart attack.